The Topeka Owls, based in Topeka, Kansas, played in the Class C Western Association from 1939 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1954. They were a St. Louis Browns affiliate in their first two seasons, then operated without a major league working agreement through the mid-1940s before affiliating with the Chicago Cubs in 1951-52 and the Chicago White Sox in 1953-54. Their home was Owl Ballpark on North Topeka Boulevard, which expanded from 2,750 to 4,700 seats during the franchise's run.
The Owls were the middle chapter in a long Topeka baseball story, arriving after the city's earlier Western League and Western Association teams (the Jayhawks, Senators, and Kaws of the 1910s through 1930s) and departing just before the franchise renamed itself the Hawks for the Western League in 1956. Their best season on record was 1954, when the Owls posted 87 wins in their final year as a White Sox affiliate. Bill Rigney, who managed the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels through the 1960s and early 1970s, played infield for the 1940 Topeka Owls early in his professional career before reaching the major leagues with the New York Giants in 1946.
Topeka's professional baseball history stretched back to 1886 and included some notable early chapters. The 1887 Topeka club, managed by Walton Goldsby, assembled a roster on which almost every member had played or would play for major league clubs, winning the Western League pennant convincingly. Bud Fowler, now recognized as the earliest known African-American player in organized professional baseball and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022, played for Topeka in 1886. The Western Association (Class C) covered Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and surrounding states, sitting one level below the Class B circuits of the era.
Retro Baseball Revival celebrates historic baseball teams with unique apparel, honoring their legacy and bringing history to one-of-a-kind clothing with our old school retro baseball tees from defunct Minor League Baseball teams. All of our high quality apparel is designed, printed, and shipped within the USA. This collection features 100% original designs based on the history and nicknames of historic minor league teams.
Our premium lightweight shirts are the hugely popular Bella+Canvas brand 3001 tees. They are much lighter and thinner feeling than a traditional heavyweight tee. They also are more form fitting and feel more snug. These are generally 90% to 100% cotton, although please note that heather colors in this item are 52% cotton.
Size Guide: Fit is true to size or a little snug. Considering ordering one size up if you are normally between sizes.
Brand: Bella Canvas | Product ID: 3001
- Made with 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, a lightweight fabric (4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)) that is easy to layer, breathable. Perfect for active and leisure wear.
- The retail fit that is perfect for casual and semi-formal settings. The crew neckline adds a classic, neat style that's perfect for accessorizing.
- Bella+Canvas manufactures all its products in the US and internationally in humane, no-sweat-shop, sustainable way and is part of the Fair Labor Association as well as Platinum WRAP certified.
- The tear-away label minimizes skin irritations.
- Fabric blends: Ash and Heather Prism colors - 99% cotton, 1% polyester; Heather and Solid Blend colors - 52% cotton, 48% polyester; Athletic Heather and Black Heather - 90% cotton, 10% polyester.
